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Giving back: A family tradition of giving, acting for peace

Published: March 20, 2013

From left: Bill Lloyd, his wife Lenore Migdal, Lola Lloyd Horwitz, Robin Lloyd, Chris Lloyd, and his wife Vassie Sinopoulos, with a picture of their parents in the background.

Waging peace has been a generations-long tradition for the Lloyd family. It’s a tradition that includes a history of giving to AFSC.

The Lloyd siblings—Lola Lloyd Horwitz, Robin Lloyd, Dr. William Bross Lloyd, and Christopher Lloyd—are all AFSC benefactors who have supported the mission and vision of AFSC for decades.

“AFSC is the only charity that my siblings and I feel so deeply about that we choose to give together, as a way to honor our family values and our parents—William “Bill” and Mary Lloyd—and the work they believed in,” says Robin, a documentary filmmaker and activist.

The family’s involvement with AFSC dates back to the 1950s as their parents attended the Evanston and Lake Forest Meeting outside of Chicago with their children. William served on the AFSC board in Chicago. He focused on efforts to support peace on the African continent and educate Americans on U.S. policy in Africa.

William, a devoted Quaker, was a conscientious objector during World War II and in 1952 founded “Toward Freedom,” a newsletter that advocated for human rights and global democracy with special attention to African colonial and postcolonial issues. Robin still publishes an online version of the newsletter at www.towardfreedom.com.

He also wrote the book “Waging Peace: The Swiss Experience” when the family lived in Switzerland from 1949–1951.

The significant social and political contributions of previous generations laid the foundation for the family’s history of peace activism.

The Lloyd siblings’ great grandfather, Henry Demarest Lloyd, a 19th-century social reformer and journalist, was one of the precursors to the later muckraker journalists. He wrote about the monopolistic abuses of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust in “The Story of a Great Monopoly,” published in March 1881, and his best-known book, “Wealth Against Commonwealth,” was published in 1894. Their grandmother, Lola Maverick Lloyd, was a prominent activist involved in the feminist, international peace, and world government movements during the first half of the 20th century. She also was a noted philanthropist and supporter of progressive causes.

Not surprisingly, the Lloyds view their steadfast support for AFSC as a natural continuation of the family’s commitment to peace, justice, and equality.

As Lola notes, “Giving to AFSC allows me and my brothers and sister to support causes closely aligned to our family values.”

Who we are

AFSC is a Quaker organization devoted to service, development, and peace programs throughout the world. Our work is based on the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. Learn more

Where we work

AFSC has offices around the world. To see a complete list see the Where We Work page.